Indonesian zombie horror film "Abadi Nan Jaya" (The Elixir) has claimed the number 1 position on Netflix's Top 10 Global Film list for non-English works, accumulating over 11 million views worldwide since its October 23, 2025 release, topping charts in five countries and breaking into the Top 10 in 75 nations including Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, and Brazil.
Director Kimo Stamboel explained the film's global resonance stems from creating "a zombie film that truly felt Indonesian, not just in its setting and language, but in the root of its story," incorporating jamu (traditional herbal medicine) and family dynamics within a Javanese village to deliver an authentic cultural narrative.
The Netflix Original's distinctive zombie design drew inspiration from the pitcher plant (kantong semar), a carnivorous plant native to Indonesia, demonstrating how culturally specific creative choices can generate fresh horror experiences that achieve universal appeal through high-quality production values.
Lead actress Eva Celia, who plays protagonist Karina, received widespread acclaim from both national and international audiences for her compelling performance navigating family conflict and desperate survival against the zombie horde, showcasing her commitment to bringing culturally rooted Indonesian storytelling to global viewers.
The film's monumental success proves that locally rooted stories combining authentic cultural elements—from traditional medicine practices to regional family dynamics—with strong production quality can transcend geographic boundaries and achieve worldwide recognition, establishing Indonesian cinema's capability to compete in the global streaming market with distinctive, culturally grounded horror narratives.
